CHICAGO – While the Cubs have experienced a rash of injury setbacks throughout their pitching staff of late, the team is also preparing to have an important arm back in the mix soon. Lefty Matthew Boyd is on track to start against the Phillies on Wednesday at Wrigley Field.
On the 15-day injured list due to a left biceps issue, Boyd was back at the Friendly Confines on Friday after making a Minor League rehab start with Triple-A Iowa one day earlier. The veteran southpaw was feeling good and manager Craig Counsell confirmed that Boyd is on schedule to be activated Wednesday to pitch, barring something unexpected.
“That’s really what the important thing is -- I feel really good today,” Boyd said. “Everything feels normal for a day after pitching right now. So, I’m excited for Wednesday. We’ll just build toward that each day.”
Boyd, who was placed on the 15-day IL on April 6 (retroactive to April 3), went 3 2/3 innings on 64 pitches in what turned out to be a wild extra-innings win for Iowa at Columbus. Boyd allowed three earned runs on four hits, striking out six with one walk.
The left-hander worked a 1-2-3 first inning, with his fastball reaching 94.1 mph (his average in two MLB starts this year was 92.7). Boyd only ran into trouble in the second inning. Stuart Fairchild hit a leadoff double at 108.4 mph before Nolan Jones drove him in with a soft liner up the middle. Another double and a sacrifice fly scored two more before back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat.
Boyd bounced back with a scoreless third and two strikeouts to begin the fourth before giving way to reliever Gabe Klobosits. His fastball velocity dipped slightly in his final frame to a maximum of 93.1 mph in his final frame, but all seemed well as he finished the rehab outing.
The Cubs need their 35-year-old Opening Day starter back in the fold as soon as possible. Their depth has been ravaged by a season-ending elbow injury to young phenom Cade Horton and IL stints for several others, from top prospect Jaxon Wiggins to high-leverage bullpen arms Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey and Daniel Palencia.
Boyd struggled in his first appearance of the season against the Nationals, allowing six runs in 3 2/3 innings, though he struck out seven. He continued to induce whiffs in a stronger second start against the Angels -- 5 2/3 innings, two runs and 10 strikeouts -- before landing on the IL.
The Cubs anticipated from the start that this would only be a minimum stay for Boyd, who has now taken an important step toward his return to Chicago.
“Frankly, given a different time in the season,” Boyd said when he first landed on the IL, “it’s something that I would just take the ball and keep going.”